Similarities
by PippyLI
Summary: Do you ever feel alone in a crowded room? Like you don't belong? Ford sure feels that way. It's the begining of summer, and the twins are coming back to Gravity Falls. When something happens, a certain girl helps Ford realize he's not alone. Totally Mabel/Ford fluff. All reads and comments are appreciated!
1. Ch 1: Night Terrors

**Hello! Yes, this is another Gravity Falls fanfiction, but I don't care. I love the show so yeah. Anyways I'm aware there might be similar ones to this, but I tried my best to be original. Feel free to comment and give suggestions! Still a new writer here, so it helps! Enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gravity Falls nor anything else related to it.**

 **Chapter 1: Night Terrors**

 _Run. That was the first thought to come to his mind. He didn't what he's running from, but he knows it means danger. He passed through the woods at a high speed. Looking behind him, he could see the monstrosity of a creature advancing on him. Its glowing eyes fixated on him like he was a mouse and it was a cat. Once the pounding footsteps from the creature died down, he slowed his pace gasping for air. Who knows how long he was running. He was suddenly encased in darkness by a shadow. He turned around, full of fear. The creature stared down at him. In a sudden motion, it raised its claws that are sharp as knives. It brought it's claws down on him and-_

Ford woke up and let out a small cry. He sat up, panting, and wiped the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. _It's only a dream Stanford, only a dream..._ He got up and sat on the edge of his bed trying to calm his senses. He and Stanley got back from their travels on the Stan-o-War not to long ago. The kids were coming over to Gravity Falls for their second summer and, of course, they wanted to be there when they arrived. They had got here about a week ago to get settled in before their arrival. Soos, being the loyal handyman and now the new Mr. Mystery, let them stay in the shack as well as the kids.

It seemed like everything in his life couldn't be better. He got his brother back, had people who cared for him, and defeated Bill for good. But every night since Weirdmaggedon, he has been haunted by his past mistakes and what had happened, and it just so happens to be in the form of nightmares. The worst part, though, is the fact that they are getting worse and worse every time.

Running a shaky six-fingered hand through his hair with a sigh , he got up from his bed to go retrieve some warm milk to help him sleep. It has worked for him as long as he could remember. Something about the warmth of the milk and the slight hum to the microwave as he made it washed any of his leftover paranoia away. Just as he started to make his way to the kitchen, he couldn't help but take the long trip and pass by his brother's room just to check on him.

The door opened with a rather loud creak. Ford winced as he spared a glance at Stanley, sleeping it off like nothing. He mentally noted to fix the door later on his spare time. He stood there at the door frame, listening to his brother's snoring. Once he was convinced that he was ok, (Also the extra time just listening to his snores 'cause why the heck not?) Ford slowly turned around ready to leave when-

"eh.. Ford? What-yawn-what are you doing here?" A familiar voice grumbled. _Shoot…_ Ford halted in his tracks and slowly turned around. Stan was sitting up now, rubbing his tired eyes before putting on his glasses.

"I..um…" He quickly fixed up a lie. He wasn't going to tell him the real reason. Fat chance. "I was going to get milk and I wanted to know if you wanted some." Ford put on the most convincing smile he could manage.

"Ford. It's..." Stan glanced at the clock. "... _2:35_ in the morning."

"I.. Um.. Well you never know, you might of waken up at this time if I didn't wake you up and wanted milk." Ford shrugged dismissively followed by a nervous chuckle.

His twin squinted. " What are you really here for?"

Ford's shoulders dropped in defeat. Of course Stan would be suspicious. He rubbed his arm and averted his gaze. Ford mumbled a response.

"Huh? You have to speak louder than that."

Another mumble but a bit louder.

"What was that?"

"I had nightmare and I went to go check on you." He finally said rather quickly, squeezing his eyes shut. His face flushed with embarrassment. _Not like you can do anything to help…_

Stan's gaze softened with empathy. He had already knew that his brother has been suffering from nightmares. Ford would wake up screaming and looking like he saw a ghost. Scratch that, a whole horde of ghosts. Every time he asked about it the morning after, Ford would just shrug it off as his imagination or make up some excuse. He was seriously worried about him.

"Ford…"

"Well enough about that. So… do you want milk though? I was actually going to get some milk to help me sleep," Ford said with a shrug lifting his arms, eyes now open.

Stan sighed. It was obvious Ford didn't want any help. Might as well humor him. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "Yeah, yeah… Sure. But I'm not happy that you woke me up at like 2 in the morning when you _know_ we have to pick up the kids from bus stop at 7."

Ford looked visibly relieved. He gave Stan a thankful smile before leaving to get the milk.

 **~Time Skip~**

After Ford gave Stan his glass of milk, he headed back to his own room while sipping his glass of warm milk.

Once he reached his room, he felt the milk start taking effect. He went over to his bed with a quiet yawn. Ford took off his glasses he didn't realize he had on while getting into bed. Stan did have a point. They would have to get up really early to get everything ready for the kids. It would be nothing but smart to get as much sleep the night _beford_. **(Sorry, I had to.)**

With the thought of seeing the twins tomorrow in his mind, he drifted off into a dreamless slumber.

 **Welp, there's the first chapter of many. I am thinking of doing like 5 to 10. But let's just see how it goes. On another note, like my pun? No? Well I couldn't resist so deal with it. Well, all reviews are appreciated and stay cool!**


	2. Ch 2: Arrival

**Waddup Guys! Sorry if I made the wait a bit long, I just had school and other things going on. Also the fact that I felt lazy, but don't we all? Welp it's just over one year since Gravity Falls ended, so happy late anniversary! Anyways… Enjoy the new chapter! All comments, suggestions, reads and other stuff is greatly appreciated!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gravity Falls nor anything else related to it.**

 **Chapter 2: Arrival**

"Aaaahh! Dipper! I can barely believe it, we're actually going back to Gravity Falls!" Mabel squealed, bouncing up and down in her seat. She and Dipper boarded the bus a few hours ago. When the bus arrived at the bus stop in Piedmont, they practically forced the doors open to get in. You could sense their excitement from a mile away.

Dipper rolled his eyes and chuckled. Mabel has always been the one to express her emotions more. " I know right? I can't wait to show Grunkle Ford my journal." He said holding out a teal journal with a blue pine tree in the front. "California isn't as exciting or weird as Gravity Falls, but I did find some cool specie of fungi. It's called Dacrymyces chrysospermus, or witches butter. It looks a bit like yellow jelly."

"NERD!" shouted Mabel, "Well I can't wait to see Candy and Grenda! I have so many new sweaters to show them and so much to catch up on!" Mabel motioned towards the sweater she's wearing, a puppy with a speech bubble saying "herro". At her feet is her suitcases, about half of them filled with craft supplies and the sweaters she made throughout the year. "Also I bet Grunkle Stan will be pretty impressed of my new cheat methods for playing cards!"

"Heh… Yeah. I wonder if Wendy's going to be there." When he got no response to this, he turned to see Mabel smirking at him. "Hey! Not in that way! She's my friend too!"

Mabel's smirk widened. "Suurree whatever you say, Dipper."

Dipper just glared.

His twin burst out laughing."You know I'm just teasing you Dip-dop!" Mabel wiped a loose tear from her eye from laughing so hard. A familiar sign caught her attention. "Oh my rainbow sparkles… WE'RE HERE!" She shouted looking out of the window.

Dipper looked through the window too, and there it was. The Gravity Falls sign. He laughed at the subheading, 'Nothing to see here folks!', remembering how crazy last summer was.

 **~Now to the Stans~**

'BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!'

Stanford let out a groan of annoyance, absentmindedly searching for the clock with his hand. He eventually found the button to put the obnoxious noise to sleep. Ford sat up, rubbing his tired eyes. He sat like that for a few minutes enjoying the silence. Blinking tiredly, he reached for his glasses. Ford picked them up and was about to put them on when-

'SLAM'

"DANG IT FORD! WHAT ARE YA WAITIN' FOR?! SUMMERWEEN?!"

The sudden noise and shouting made Ford jump up in shock as well as drop his glasses. He scrambled around, frantically searching for his glasses. Well...If he wasn't fully awake before, he certainly is now.

"IT'S SIX-THIRTY, SO GET UP 'N GET READY!"

Ford finally found his glasses, ending the search, and put them on. As his vision cleared, he saw a very irked Stanley. He was already fully dressed and shooting daggers at him. Ford was also pretty sure he left a dent into the wall judging by the force Stanley slammed the door open.

"Be ready in ten…" He said pointing at him. "...Also coffee's on the table when you're done." And with that, Stan left as soon as he came, closing the door behind him and revealing a crack in the wall. Ford winced. _Sheesh… I'm going to need to repair that._ He got up to get ready.

 **~Time Skip~**

Ford entered the kitchen to find his brother waiting for him, sipping on his coffee. He reached the table and took a seat where his cup was already made. They drank in silence while occasional bird tweets could be heard. When both of them finished, Stan spoke up.

"Ya ready?"

Ford nodded, getting up. He knows how his brother is when it comes to the kids and he doesn't want to risk getting dragged there at 50 miles an hour. They walked out to the 'Stan Mobile' and got in. Halfway there, Stan started laughing. "Oh my god, you shoulda seen the look on your face when I barged in! It was priceless!" He said through his laughs, wiping a loose tear from his eye. "Yeah, yeah…" Ford grumbled, looking out the window the rest of the way.

 **~Back on the Bus~**

As the bus stop for Gravity Falls came into view, you could hear a high pitched scream, not of pain but excitement. You could see Mabel jumping up and down by the window shouting "We're here" repeatedly and, next to her, is Dipper looking on excitedly through the glass. The bus driver just rolled his eyes when the twins rushed to the door when the bus pulled up at curb and went into a complete stop. Ford and Stan, along with Soos and Wendy, were standing there waiting for them with smiles on their faces. Before Dipper and Mabel break the doors of their hinges trying to get out, they opened. Two colorful blurs came hurling towards Stan, who accepts them with open arms, kneeling down.

"GRUNKLE STAN!"

Dipper and Mabel look up at Stan with excited eyes and big smiles, hugging him tightly. Stan happily returns the hug, before noogying Dipper, who laughs in response. "Aw man, now I have to deal with you little rascals another summer!" Stan teased, a warm smile on his face. The young twins smiled back and then went over greeting everyone else. First Ford, who greeted them with a smile and ruffling their hair affectionately, then Soos and Wendy, who greeted them with fist pumps. Of course with Wendy trading back Dipper's hat for her own with exchanged smiles.

They all head back to their own separate cars to head back to the shack (with Dipper and Mabel going over to Stan's car) except Ford, who stayed behind a bit. He gazed out to where the rest were, happy and reconnecting already. He loves them but… _I feel like I don't fit in… like I don't belong._ Ford let out a sad sigh and began to follow them to the car. What he didn't know, though, was that a certain girl noticed this action.

 **~Time Skip~**

The younger set of twins got out of the car and ran to the shack first, followed by the older set. Their laughs could be heard all the way inside the shack. Soos and Wendy caught up to the pair to walk with them inside. Soos, the Man of Mystery, decided to close up the shack for the day to spend time with Dipper and Mabel, and so they could get settled back in.

"Whoa… it's the same as I remember it… but even better!" Mabel squealed as she looked at the new exhibits around the shack. She was currently looking at the "Abominable Snowcone", a big block of ice held up by a plastic cone.

"Hey Mabel!" Dipper called, trying to stifle his laughs. "Look at this exhibit." Pointing his finger at the poorly made statue of Stan with the label, 'Founder'. Mabel looked towards where he was pointing. They both broke down laughing.

When the others entered they found both Dipper and Mabel on the ground laughing their butts off. Stan looked at where they were pointing while laughing and face palmed, but couldn't help the smile growing on his face as well. He decided to let the subject go, and cleared his throat the get the kids' attention.

"How 'bout you kids bring your stuff upstairs and get settled in, aye?"

After their laughter died down Dipper said, "Sure come on Mabel." Making a motion with his hand for her to follow him, he grabbed his bags and went upstairs, followed by Mabel shortly after. When they were almost done setting up, Mabel spoke up.

"Hey bro bro?"

"Yeah?" Dipper said, putting his books away.

"Did… Did you notice something off about Grunkle Ford?"

At this, Dipper looked up from what he was doing, eyebrow raised in confusion. "No, not really… Why-wait. Did you notice something about his eyes?! Do you think Bill could be back?!" Dipper started to freak out, breath getting quicker out of panic.

"No, no, no! That not what I meant!" Mabel quickly reassured. "I just mean… like… did he look sad to you?" She asked slowly, trying not to freak her brother out.

Another eyebrow raise. "He looked the opposite of that when he saw us. Pretty happy actually."

"Ah nevermind… Might've been my kooky imagination. You know how that always gets." She said with a goofy smile. Mabel made a wave motion with her hand to emphasize her point. _Well I can't get help from Dipper..._ Dipper just smiled back and continued putting his books away.

Mabel frowned in thought. _Dipper didn't notice and I don't want to bother Grunkle Stan about it…_ A lightbulb lit up inside her head. She perked up at the idea.

"Perfect!"

Her eyes widen in the realization she shouted that. Dipper turned his head to look at her, confused as ever. "Huh?"

"I finished my space and isn't it perfect?" At least that was true. Dipper just nodded and returned back to his own thing.

 _Alright._ Mabel squinted her eyes in determination. _Let's make Grunkle Ford happy..._

"Hey Mabel! Dipper! I made stancakes, want some?"

"Yeah!" They both said in unison, rushing downstairs. _After breakfast…_

 **Another Chapter! Yeah! Sorry if this took a bit longer than expected, but it's here now! The next chapter should be within a week or so. Also, thank you for your support so far! It helps to know what you guys think. Anyways all comments and suggestions are appreciated and stay cool!**


	3. Ch 3:Mission MFH

**Hola! Here's a new chapter for you guys, I hope you like the story so far! Anyways all comments, reads and other things are appreciated and they let me know that you guys like it! So now I hope you will stop wasting your time reading this useless author's note and get along with the story already. ~Enjoy**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gravity Falls nor anything else related to it.**

 **Chapter 3: Mission M.F.H**

Ford squirmed uncomfortably under Mabel's gaze. Everyone was now eating the famous 'stancakes' at the kitchen table, talking about what happened the past year and catching up on everything. Soos and Wendy left shortly after Dipper and Mabel went upstairs to let the Pines family be and hang out with them later. And ever since the twins came back downstairs, Mabel has been staring at Ford intensely as if try to read his thoughts.

When Mabel ate, her gaze never left him. Ford started to break into a sweat. He loved his great niece dearly, but sometimes she could be freak him out. Like _really_ freak him out. Dipper noticed Mabel's staring and glanced over at Ford, only to see his uncomfortable expression plastered on his face.

Dipper nudged Mabel's arm as a silent way to tell her to knock it off. Mabel seemed to get the idea and started talking to Stan. Ford gave him a small smile, silently saying ''Thank you'. Dipper nodded his head returning the smile, 'No problem'.

 _What was that about?_

Ford just shrugged at the thought and continued eating, listening in on their conversation.

 **~Time Skip~**

"SURPRISE GLITTER ATTACK!"

Despite the warning beforehand, Ford couldn't help but release a scream of surprise and shock before he crashed to the ground with his niece on top of him. As he made contact with the ground, he wasn't surprised to see a wave of glitter to be sent spreading away from him. He rubbed his head looking up at Mabel, who was looking down at him with the most innocent smile he's ever seen.

"Now you're all glittered up! Don't worry though, it only takes 3 days to wash the glitter out of you hair!" Mabel shouted cheerfully.

Ford just gave her a light chuckle, along with a small smile. He stood up, brushing as much glitter off him as he can, and exited the room to go shower. Mabel frowned, bringing her hand up to her chin.

 _Maybe a different approach would work…_

 **~Time Skip~**

Mabel was laying on the floor, drawing, when Ford walked in. "Hey Mabel," Ford greeted, combing a hand through his hair, trying to get any remaining glitter out. "Drawing?" He questioned, observing the crayon-covered ground.

"Yup!" said Mabel, flashing him a bright smile. She tilted her head. "Wanna draw with me, Grunkle Ford? I saw some of your drawings in your journals, you're really good."

Ford cracked a small smile. "Thank you, Mabel, but I think I'll have to pass." Mabel gave him the best puppy eye look she could manage. After a few seconds of staring, he gave in with a sigh, "Fine."

Mabel squealed a bit in excitement as Ford took a seat next to her on the ground. He grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil he found lying on the ground. While he started to draw, Mabel just stared at her paper, thinking.

 _This is a start, but how do I get him to talk to me instead of being all quiet and sad..?_

Mabel looked over to Ford, who didn't notice being too busy drawing, then at his paper. He was drawing a realistic picture of Stan and the kids, while a small, but sad smile etched onto his face. Mabel raised an eyebrow at this, but decided to let it go. Another idea popped up in her head.

"Hey Grunkle Ford?"

Ford just hummed in response, showing her he had his attention.

"Do you want to have a drawing competition with me?"

He finally stopped drawing, turning his head to face her. He raised an eyebrow but had a playful smile plastered on his face. "Oh really? Mabel Pines, the great and powerful crafter wants to have a competition with lil' ol' me?" He pretended to be in thought, which made Mabel let out a small giggle. "Sure, but beware, I just might have a few tricks up my sleeve." He let out a supposed-to-be creepy laugh, wiggling his fingers for emphasis.

Mabel's smile widened, "Great! We have ten minutes, draw your best!" She pulled out a timer from who knows where and set it. Once they heard the beep letting them know it has been set, the two started scribbling on their papers. The time was spent drawing on their individual sheets of paper and stealing a glance at the other's paper.

The timer went off with a loud repeated beep. Mabel was quick to turn it off before grabbing her paper to hide it from Ford's view. He mimicked her action.

"Ok!" Mabel chirped. "We'll show each other our drawings at the same time!" Ford nodded, agreeing. "Go on 3. 1..2...3!"

As it was decided, they both help up their pictures for the other to view. The pair were shocked to see that they did a portrait of their opponent. Ford's was obviously better in detail, but Mabel's drawing of Ford was surprisingly accurate as well. Minus the uncharacteristically large smile drawn on his face, that is.

"You won." They said in unison.

"Nuh uh, you totally won. Look at the detail."

"I beg to differ."

"We're gonna need a judge, aren't we?"

Ford thought about this for a moment and just shook his head. "Well, since we both obviously think that the other won, or you're just trying to be nice, how about we call it a tie." He offered with a small smile.

Mabel pondered this for a few seconds. This whole activity was kinda meant for Ford to be happy from whatever reason why wasn't, but she had a feeling he would still be happy this way too. "Sure! But you're definitely better at this than I am."

"Aw don't say that, we're both great." He started, offering her a smile. "How about we go grab a snack?" He said picking his niece up after standing up.

"Yay! Food!" Mabel shouted, positioning herself to sit on top of her grunkle's shoulders. Ford just let out a small chuckle at his great niece's enthusiasm as he grabbed her feet to keep her from falling and headed towards the kitchen.

As he reached the table he placed Mabel down in a chair and went to make sandwiches for the both of them. When he finished, he put them on plates and brought them to the table. Then he went to get water for both of them, returning shortly after. He sat down across from Mabel and they started eating. Mabel smiled at him, who returned it with a smaller one.

 _Yes! 'Mission Make Ford Happy' was successful!_

Mabel smiled at this thought, only for it to fade a bit upon noticing something. She wasn't a professional, but when it came to family, you could say she's an expert. There, in her beloved grunkle's eyes, you could see a tiny glint of sadness. Hiding itself from prying eyes, as if trying to hide something. Something more than the occasional summer blues. No. It was like a type of depression. Like the type of depression where you feel like you mean nothing to the world.

Mabel frowned a bit in concern and confusion. Why? Why would her grunkle think like that about himself? Why wouldn't he seek help? Does Grunkle Stan know? A million and one questions flooded her mind. She absentmindedly got out of her chair and hugged Ford. He gave out a squeak of surprise at the sudden motion. Once he collected himself, he awkwardly patted her back, attempting to reassure her. Even after being back home for a year, he's still not that good with handling things like affection.

 _No, Grunkle Ford! I'm trying to comfort you, not for you to end up comforting me!_

Mabel just tightened her hold around him in pity and confusion. She knew something was wrong with him in the beginning, but she had no idea it would be this bad. After a minute or two, she finally pulled away from Ford, looking up at him with worried eyes. He just looked down at her with concern, worrying what had happened to make her mood change so suddenly.

She mumbled a 'thanks' and gave him a peck on the cheek. Ford seemed a bit fazed by this, mostly out of the sudden turn of events, but when he got out of it he found himself sitting alone in the kitchen with half eaten sandwich lying on the floor. When Mabel hugged him, she knocked the sandwich out of his hand from the force of the impact. He sighed and got up to clean the mess.

Mabel was currently climbing up the stairs leading to the attic. She stole a glance back in the direction of the kitchen. She felt a bit bad by leaving him there confused of what just happened, but she something more important to deal with right now. (Which ironically, still has to do with him.)

 _Boy… this is going to be a lot harder than I thought…_

 **Kinda took a bit of a sharp turn, aye? *chuckles nervously* Anyways I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and the next one should be a bit soon. The next chapter will either be the last or second from last one. I don't know, if I have too much to add for just one chapter, I'll most likely split. Love ya guys (Not in the creepy way), and thanks for your reads so far!**


	4. Ch 4: Sleep Problems

**Hello, I'm back with another chapter! Please, please. Control yourselves. *Cricket noises* So I have decided to split this into two separate chapters because I don't want one chapter to be** _ **too**_ **long. I also couldn't think of any better chapter names so you get what you get. Anyways enjoy the chapter!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gravity Falls nor anything else related to it.**

 **Chapter 4: Sleep Problems**

Mabel didn't go down for dinner nor get any sleep that night. She couldn't stop thinking about Ford and the current situation. Whenever she actually tried, though, her mind started filling with these horrible visions on what could happen if no one did anything about this. However, they weren't nightmare's. No, she was still awake and aware of the world.. It came from _her_ imagination and that just made the whole situation worse.

Mabel glanced over at the clock that was in the middle of her and Dipper's beds.

 _1:15_

She let out a tired sigh. She didn't have the energy to deal with this. Definitely not at one in the morning at the least. After a few minutes of just laying there, Mabel made a decision to go check on Ford. Seeing him calm in his slumber would soothe her worries for at least one night.

Mabel looked over at her sleeping brother. She felt a twinge of jealousy rise somewhere in her. Dipper was in a deep slumber, probably dreaming about Wendy or Pacifica. Mabel snickered slightly at the thought, but it left as soon as it came. She watched Dipper's chest rise and fall, listening to the soft snores that came with it.

When Mabel finally gained enough courage, she stood up from her bed and began tip-toeing her way to the door. She would stop every few seconds, glance back at Dipper to make sure he was still asleep, and then continued her way to her destination.

Mabel reached the door and slipped out of the attic as quiet as possible. She turned around and began to trek down the stairs.

 _'Creak!_ '

Mabel winced and stopped in her tracks. She had completely forgotten about which of the steps were squeaky or not. The girl held her breath and silently prayed that no one had heard this and that she didn't wake anyone up. After a few seconds of waiting silently in the dark, still as a statue, she sighed in relief and continued to descend down the stairs.

 **~Meanwhile~**

" _TIMES UP! I'VE GOT THE KIDS!"_

 _Bill's voice echoed through the fearamid as the giant pyramid crawled through the entrance to the tapestry room. Ford and Stan stared helplessly, eyes full of fear as the twins struggled in the mighty Dorito's grasp._

Ford's breath started to quicken, sweat beads forming on his forehead. A look of pain spread across his face. This was one of his worst nightmares. His regular nightmares usually consist of running away from monsters, brief flashes of Bill, and things involving the portal. The really bad ones, on the other hand, are usually certain memories of what had happened in the past or horrible things happening to his family and the ones he loved.

" _I THINK I'M GONNA KILL ONE OF THEM JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT!"_

 _Then he started counting. What might seem like simply choosing the person who's 'it' for a foolish game for Bill, it felt like a clock counting down the last few seconds of your life for the. Pines family. Pure fear flashed across Dipper and Mabel's eyes as they struggled even harder than before. Stan, dressed up in his brother's clothes, shouted at the last minute._

" _Good choice."_

 _Bill dropped the kids and shrunk in size a bit. He floated over to the older twin's pyramid prison and made it recoil back into the ground, ropes wrapping around 'Stanley', holding him down. 'Stanford' walked up to him, a look of determination on his face._

 _Bill started to laugh as he walked up to him, but it wasn't for the reason they thought. Bill wiped a tear from his single eye and spoke after his laughter died down._

" _Oh ho ho! This is too good! You really thought you could fool me, the all-knowing dream demon?"_

 _His expression hardened as his voice deepened. Stan took a step back._

" _You think that you can be heroes, for your friends, family and the world, huh? Well… I think you all know what happens to heroes in my world. They turn into tapestries that, I have to admit, are quite stylish. They burn just like those journals of yours. And worst of all, They DIE."_

 _With a snap of his fingers, both of the younger twins' bodies fell limp. Stan and Ford both looked on with terror as Bill continued._

" _So, Sixer, Fez, when are you going to learn that there are just some battles you cannot win. Goals you can't achieve. Dreams that are never to be reached. Now, it seems like I've won the war, didn't I? Or are you still refusing to acknowledge that fact?"_

 _Bill turned to look at Stanley, who stared back with horror-filled eyes. Bill's eye curved upward as if he was smiling._

" _Sorry Fez, but I'm afraid you're going to have to leave for this next part. This is between me and IQ. Nice seeing you though! Take a nap or something while waiting, FOREVER."_

 _Bill's eye turned red as he said the last word. He snapped his fingers in a quick motion. Ford screamed Stanley's name helplessly as he watched his own brother dropped dead in front of him. He looked up at the demonic triangle that started to float over to him, tears threatening to fall._

Tears began to pour down from Ford's pale cheeks, his eyes shut tight. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't wake up. In the dream world, Ford always had a hunch that it was just a dream, but that doesn't mean it's not painful.

" _So, Sixer, ready to make that deal?"_

 _That last word echoed in his mind. He has nothing left to lose. His parents probably died of old age, his brother Shermie is god knows where, and his twin and his niblings died in this very room. He messed up his and everyone else's lives already, so what's the harm of making one more deal?_

 _After Stanford collected himself, he took a deep breathe and stretched out his hand._

" _Deal."_

Mabel barged into the room, but still quietly being that it's now 1:27. She had heard silent crying coming from inside her grunkle's room, and she wasted no time to enter the room fearing the worst for Ford.

"Grunkle Ford?"

When she got no response, Mabel rushed over to her grunkle's side. She let a sigh of relief, knowing that he wasn't in any physical harm. Her feeling of relief soon disappeared as she took a good look at Ford's face. The skin was sickly pale with a small hint of red from crying. His eyes were shut tight with tears streaming down the sides of his face. He had noticeably dark bags under his eyes, like he didn't sleep for days.

Ford's breath hitched with soft sobs, and when he didn't let out a cry, it was rushed and shaky. Mabel frowned in understanding, but twice as worried as she was before. Based off of the obvious signs and little details engraved into his face, he was having a _really_ bad nightmare.

Mabel understood. She would have nightmares every once in awhile. They were usually about either about those unicorns, Weirdmaggedon, or losing Dipper in some crazy way. The worst that could happen when she woke up would be her waking up in a cold sweat. Not crying in her sleep. What could Ford be dreaming about that could cause _this_ reaction, anyways?

"No...please…"

A weak voice whispered. Mabel jolted her head up to look at Ford, seeing if he's awake. He was starting to talk in his sleep. She knew that this might be invading his privacy, but she was curious on what his dream was. So she listened to him sleep talk.

"You said you would save…"

Mabel raised her eyebrow. _Save who?_ Soon enough, her question was answered.

"Save my bro...nd..Dip..nd...Mabel…"

Mabel's brows furrowed in confusion and sympathy. _What happened to us?_

"Shut it Bill… tha...was part of the… deal…"

A few seconds passed in silence after that word was said.

"You… killed...them..!"

Mabel's eyes widened. If Bill killed had them in some way in his dream, that might be why Ford us so upset. She ignored any further scrambled sentences coming from Ford and began to shake him awake.

"Grunkle Ford! You're just dreaming!"

He still let out sobs in his sleep, the pained look on his face unbearable to look at. She shook a bit harder, whispering more loudly.

"Wake up! It's me! Mabel!"

Her words hung in the air as Ford's cries stopped. His tear ridden eyes shot open.

 **Daw! I feel bad for Ford, all he wants is sleep and to be happy. He's probably been through worst nightmares though. Well, thank you all for reading so far and the next chapter won't take too long. You guys are awesome and stay cool!**


	5. Ch 5: Late Night Talk

**'Sup, dudes. Didja miss me? Or were you just waiting for the last chapter? *Silence* Oh… Anyways this is the last chapter, and it's a** _ **bit**_ **longer than the previous ones. And by a bit, I mean like twice the size. Enjoy the last chapter!**

 **Also this chapter contains someone having a panic attack. (You can guess who.) Though even if it's though there's a full lot about it, if you're sensitive to this sort if thing then bewarb.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gravity Falls nor anything else related to it.**

 **Chapter 5: Late Night Talk**

Ford sat up quickly, gasping for air. Mabel backed away a few feet, trying to give him space. His breath started to get faster and shorter with his heart beating a mile a minute. His body began to tremble violently as he tried to breathe. Mabel instantly recognized these as symptoms of a panic attack. _Geez, what a terrible way to wake up._

She has had some experience with them. Dipper would have them from time to time and she'd always be there to comfort him. So Mabel knew a thing or two about how to comfort someone who is suffering from one. Since no one was around (that was awake, anyways) other than her and Ford, she'll have to be the one to help her grunkle. Mabel's thoughts were cut off by Ford's quiet wail.

She looked over to her grunkle, only to find him clutching his chest struggling to breathe. A concerned expression appeared on her face and Mabel started walking slowly towards Ford, trying not to scare him anymore than he already was.

"Grunkle Ford…" she said in a soft voice, filled with worry.

But, of course, Ford's head shot in Mabel's direction, frantically searching for the source of the voice with a panicked expression. Since he was sleeping, his glasses were off and placed on a table next to his bed. And without his glasses, he's pretty much blind as one of those mice.

Mabel realized why he acted that way when she spoke.

"Grunkle Ford. It's just me, Mabel…"

She spoke as slow and as quiet as she can. Ford seemed to relax a little bit after hearing those words but not entirely. He was confused on why his great niece was in his room at this hour. He tried to speak to her, but it was fruitless. All that came out was a hushed cry.

Mabel reached Ford and sat on his bed, directly across from him. Before comforting him and finding out the problem, she has to make sure Ford can breathe at a considerable rate. Mabel began to speak, still in the same soft tone, while looking her grunkle in the eye.

"Look at me, Grunkle Ford. Follow my lead."

She started to take deep breathes, putting a hand on her chest for him to do the same.

"Breathe in… breathe out... breathe in… breathe out…"

Ford copied her, his breathing started slowing down and seemed more calm. He still looked a bit frightened by whatever his nightmare was, but it's a start. Mabel gave him a encouraging smile, glad that this was working.

"You're doing great," Mabel praised.

They continued doing this for a few more minutes. Once he had control of his breathing again and stopped shaking, Ford grabbed his glasses and put them on. Ford straightened his posture and cleared his throat.

"So… what are you doing up so late and why are you in my room?"

As he spoke, despite trying to sound calm and collected, Ford's voice cracked at the end. He looked anywhere but Mabel, and his face was tinted pink either from shame or embarrassment.

Mabel looked down at her hands and played with the bed sheets.

"Well… you see… I was worried about you and I couldn't sleep so I decided to go check on you… and I heard you crying and I walked in and I saw that you were in the middle of a nightmare. My footsteps must have woken you up… and you started to have a panic attack… So I stayed to help you. You know the rest…" Mabel admitted.

Ford's face turned to a darker shade of pink. Luckily the lights weren't on and the only light being emitted was from the moon and the digital clock. He began to stutter.

"O-Oh. Well...um...thanks Mabel. I'm fine now… so you can go back to bed. It… it was a dumb dream anyway. It wasn't real.."

Ford said, reassuring his great niece, though it sounded like he was trying to reassure himself more than anything. Mabel furrowed her eyebrows in doubt, looking up at him.

"No."

The boldness in her voice made Ford finally look at her. Mabel's expression was serious and unreadable. Her lips were pressed into a slight frown. Before he could question it, she spoke again, but with more emotion.

"If you have nightmare, it usually helps if you talk it out. I wanna help you, Grunkle Ford. And I'm not leaving until I do." Mabel crossed her arms over her chest.

Ford raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

Mabel didn't move, she only stared back at him with a blank face. Ford tried again.

"No really, I'm okay."

Nothing

"...fine," Ford sighed.

Mabel smiled and scrambled over her grunkle's side. She stared up at him intently, ready to listen. Ford hesitated for moment, wondering if he should make something up or tell her what really happened. He chose the latter. _She just wants to help me_ …

"Well, it took place during Weirdmaggedon… and Stanley, who was dressed as me at the time, shouted that he surrendered right before Bill could snap his fingers. But when he walked up walked up to Bill to make the deal, Bill… called us out on our trick and went into this rant about heroes in his world..."

Ford's voice was starting to get weak just thinking about it. He scrubbed at his eyes to prevent tears from falling. Mabel just looked up at the older man in concern, rubbing his back in a comforting manner. He continued.

"Then… then he snapped his fingers and-and you two…*sniff*... dropped dead and Stan and I couldn't do anything… Then Bill started talking about how there's somethings that aren't meant to be… and then he said that the next part is only between me and him, and he said to Stanley that he should take a nap while waiting… he snapped his fingers and killed him too…"

Tears were in Ford's eyes, threatening to fall. He looked away from Mabel as spoke, not having the guts to see what her expression would be.

"After that happened, he asked about the deal… and since everyone I loved died, I thought that it wouldn't matter or not if I made the deal… the only thing I wanted was for you guys to be alive again… so I made the deal and he didn't hold his end if the bargain… and...and.."

Mabel hugged Ford as he cried into her shoulder. No wonder why her grunkle was crying in his sleep, that dream must have been _terrible_. They stayed like that for a few minutes. Ford pulled away from Mabel, wiping his eyes from under his glasses. He looked away from her and ducked his head in shame.

"Sorry. I know it's dumb for a 60 year old man to be crying over a nightmare even though I've been through a lot worse…"

"Grunkle Ford, Look at me."

He reluctantly did as she asked. Mabel tilted her head.

"It's okay to be vulnerable. You're not on the other side of that portal anymore and Bill's gone. He can't hurt you, Grunkle Stan, nor Dipper and I. You don't have to be afraid to show your emotions and what you feel."

Mabel gave him a reassuring smile, but her face turned serious with a hint of concern.

"Think about what I said, but I do have a quick question…" Mabel paused, unsure how to ask this without offending him or making him self conscious. "...Why do you hate yourself?"

Ford stiffened at that question. _Maybe playing dumb would work._ "Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb, Grunkle Ford. Earlier when we were eating those sandwiches, loved them by the way, the reason why my mood changed drastically was because I saw something. It was a small pinch of sadness in your eyes. I'm no psychologist, but I knew right away that you felt _worthless_. That you felt _alone_. That everyone would be _better off_ without you."

Ford's mouth was left ajar. This kid was one serious detective. Mabel continued.

"But do you know what all of these thoughts have in common? They're all wrong. You are one of the most amazing people I know. And everyone would be sad without you. Even Waddles!" Mabel added cheerfully.

"I don't know when you started feeling this way, it could've been from the moment you stepped out of that portal, like a boss, or to that time when Grunkle Stan ran for mayor, but I'm determined to find out why you feel this way and make you 100 percent happy! And that's a Mabel promise!"

Mabel finished her sentence with one of her well known brace-filled smiles. Ford finally got out of his stunned posture and smiled at his great niece. Without warning, Ford engulfed Mabel in a hug, making her squeak in surprise.

"Thank you, Mabel," Ford whispered, fondness in his voice. He felt tiny arms wrap around him in return.

"You're welcome."

They parted after a few minutes and smiled at each other. Mabel let out a small yawn as Ford glanced at the clock next to the bed they were on. _2:16_

"Well...*yawn*... You should go back to bed. It's past 2 in the morning."

Mabel cuddled up against her grunkle and pouted.

"But I wanna stay with you…"

Ford pondered this for a moment and smiled. He put an arm around Mabel and pulled her closer. Ford shrugged, "What's the harm in that?"

Mabel cheered as Ford released his grip on her and laid down. Ford made a motion with his hand, signaling that it's okay to come over to him, and Mabel crawled over to him. She curled up next to him, laying her head on Ford's stomach. In return, he put arm around Mabel once again. Mabel giggled.

"Your belly makes a great pillow, Grunkle Ford."

Ford smiled and ruffled her hair with his other hand.

"Heh, I bet it does."

"Goodnight! I love you, Grunkle Ford…"

Ford froze a bit in shock, he wasn't expecting that. He heard a soft snore next to him. Ford looked over to Mabel's sleeping form and started to feel a warm feeling rise in his gut. A smile slowly etched onto his face.

"Love you too, kiddo," Ford whispered. He leaned back into his bed and let out a yawn.

The two fell into a peaceful sleep, happy thoughts and dreams filling their head.

 **~Time Skip~**

Dipper woke up and was about to say good morning to Mabel, only to see that she wasn't in her bed. He just shrugged it off, thinking she was eating breakfast already. He walked down the stairs, into the kitchen.

"Morning, Grunkle Stan."

Stan paused from making stancakes and faced Dipper. He gave him a nod.

"Mornin'. Where's your sister?"

Dipper gave him a look, "I thought she was down here with you. She wasn't in the attic nor the bathroom."

Stan shook his head, "No one's been down here all morning."

Their eyes widened simultaneously. "Mabel!" Stan rushed towards his brother's room, followed closely by Dipper. He slammed the door open (though with less force than that other time).

"Get up! Mabel's not in the..."

Stan's voice trailed off as he stepped into the room. "Grunkle Stan?" Dipper asked, finally catching up to his grunkle. He poked his head out from behind Stan.

There, on Ford's bed, were Ford and Mabel. They both were sleeping peacefully, with Mabel curled up against Ford's side while he has his arm tucked around her. Their chests were rising and falling almost in unison as they softly snored (with Ford's being a bit louder). Both of them had smiles on their faces.

Stan cracked a small smile at the sight. He turned around and shut the door quietly. He looked down at Dipper, who was looking up at him with questioning eyes.

"Let them have this moment," Stan said, jerking his head towards the door. "They need their sleep, anyways."

Dipper nodded in agreement, humming a response.

"How 'bout I finish making breakfast, brunch for those two, and we catch up on some 'Ducktective'? I heard that the third season is already out," Stan offered, shrugging.

Dipper smiled, "Sure!"

The awake pair walked back to the kitchen to eat. They later spent the rest of the morning shouting at the tv to do this or to do that. Eventually that woke Ford up and he came rushing into the living room, who was carrying Mabel with him, holding his laser gun. Startled by the loud shouting from earlier, he pulled trigger, aiming at the television.

'BOOM!'

"Hehe... Oops…"

 **Why Ford?! Why you gotta blow up the tv? Just imagine him standing there awkwardly after realizing what the shouts were for… yup. So, I hope that you guys enjoyed this story and I have a few more coming. Thanks for reading! *Waves enthusiastically***


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